NFL Draft 2012: AFC North Team Needs
By Editorial Staff
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are a team that is perennially in contention for the Lombardi Trophy. They are also a team perennially has issues with their offensive line. As one would expect, that is the biggest need for them.
Offensive tackle is a position that the Steelers should address pretty early in the draft. Mike Adams out of Ohio State would have made sense, but he failed his drug test at the NFL Combine. Riley Reiff and Matt Kalil will both be long gone. That leaves Jonathan Martin as the best prospect left. The Steelers could certainly do worse.
I would also expect the team to address offensive guard early on. Glenn would make a lot of sense at No. 24 and would instantly upgrade that entire line. If not Glenn, the team could look to sign Kelechi Osemele out of Iowa State in the second or third round. He would also be a substantial upgrade over Ramon Foster or Trai Essex.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were a dropped pass and missed field goal away from making the Super Bowl. Thus, it follows that they do not have a lot of glaring holes to fill.
However, wide receiver may be the closest thing to it. They have the always reliable Anquan Boldin under contract and Torrey Smith flashed serious promise in his rookie season. Still, another receiver would add a lot to an offense that can be anywhere from stagnant to completely ineffective at times.
Another possible need for the Ravens would be a left guard. The team lost All Pro Ben Grubbs to the New Orleans Saints and do not have anyone readily available to fill in for him. If the team looks to sign a guard early in the draft, possible options include Cordy Glenn in the first round and Brandon Washington in the second or third round.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals surprised a lot of people last year by backing their way into the playoffs on the outstanding play of rookies AJ Green and Andy Dalton (their defense didn’t hurt either). However, they were pillaged in free agency and have quite a few needs that need to be addressed.
Wide receiver is a position that the Bengals desperately need to improve. Yes, they have the phenomenal AJ Green. Who else? Jerome Simpson is a free agent and is not likely to return. That leaves Jordan Shipley and Brandon Tate as the only other receivers on their roster. The team could feasibly sign a receiver with one of their two first round picks. Options include Stephen Hill out of Georgia Tech, Reuben Randle out of LSU and Alshon Jeffery out of South Carolina.
The team could also use help at running back. They signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis from the Patriots, but it’s unlikely that he carries the full workload. I do not see them drafting a running back early, but someone like LaMichael James in the third round would make sense. James would also provide a nice contrast to Green-Ellis’ running style.
Finally, the Bengals could use help at safety. They released Chris Crocker (and with good reason, he was awful) and Reggie Nelson is a product of the front seven. Drafting someone like Mark Barron out of Alabama could be a huge upgrade for this defense.
Cleveland Browns
Where to begin with the Browns. The team finished in its usual spot, 4th palce in the AFC North. They are still a ways away from contending, but by filling a few gaps, they could be closer than anyone realizes. Unfortunately, some of the gaps are the most important.
Obviously quarterback is a need for the team—Colt McCoy is not the answer. McCoy has thrown 20 interceptions to 20 touchdowns, is completing fewer than 60% of his passes and averages only 6.3 yards per throw. Those numbers are not good. I doubt the Browns draft a quarterback early, but if they do, expect Ryan Tannehill to be their newest quarterback of the future.
That’s far from the only need for this team, though. The Browns lost Peyton Hillis in free agency so running back must be addressed early. Montario Hardesty made clear that he could not handle the job. Trent Richardson would make sense here, as he is being projected to go to the Browns in nearly every mock draft.
And, of course, there is wide receiver. The team has nobody at receiver outside of the frustratingly inconsistent Greg Little. Little actually put up some decent numbers—68 catches for 708 yards—but also had a bad case of the dropsies. His development will be crucial to this team. I would expect the Browns to address wide receiver in the first round if they do not draft a quarterback. They have two picks. Spending one of them on Richardson and one of them on Stephen Hill, Reuben Randle or Alshon Jeffery could be a wise investment.
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